I think my dad is the only Arabic descendent who is an

"I think my dad is the only Arabic descendent who is an unsuccessful businessman." — Shakira

In these humble and heartfelt words, Shakira, the celebrated singer of Colombia, reveals a truth both tender and profound. Her remark, though clothed in humor, carries the quiet wisdom of gratitude and self-awareness. When she says, “My dad is the only Arabic descendent who is an unsuccessful businessman,” she speaks not to mock failure, but to honor the humanity that lies within it. Beneath the laughter is love—the affection of a daughter who sees beyond her father’s worldly fortunes to the deeper legacy he has given her: resilience, creativity, and the strength to rise.

The origin of this quote lies in Shakira’s own story—a story rooted in dual heritage and humble beginnings. Her father, William Mebarak Chadid, was a Lebanese-American who migrated to Colombia and pursued many ventures in search of success. Yet fortune was not always kind. His failures in business became part of the family’s struggle, shaping the artist who would one day conquer the world’s stages. In remembering this, Shakira reminds us that failure is not shameful, nor does it define one’s worth. True greatness often grows from the soil of defeat. For the father who did not triumph in commerce gave his daughter a far greater gift: the wisdom of perseverance.

To the ancients, such words would have carried the weight of a parable. For it has long been known that the measure of a person is not in their riches, but in the dignity with which they face loss. In ancient Greece, Socrates owned nothing yet left behind a wealth of truth. In the deserts of Arabia, where merchants crossed the sands in search of gold, the greatest treasures were the tales of endurance and faith carried home from hardship. So too, in Shakira’s story, we see that success is not the inheritance of blood, but the inheritance of spirit. Her father’s “unsuccessful” journey became the foundation of her own.

There is also a deeper irony and beauty in Shakira’s words. The Arabic people, from whom she descends, are renowned for their trade, ingenuity, and enterprise. In jest, she calls her father the “only” one who failed—a line that shines with warmth and affection. Yet in truth, his story mirrors the reality of countless dreamers. Many strive for worldly success, yet only some find it. What matters most is not how often they rise, but that they never lose faith in their capacity to begin again. Her father’s example, though marked by struggle, taught her endurance—and in this, he succeeded more than any businessman ever could.

The essence of Shakira’s wisdom is that greatness often comes disguised in imperfection. The father who stumbled became the mirror in which his daughter saw her strength. She inherited his determination, his willingness to try, his refusal to surrender. And when she faced her own obstacles—when record labels rejected her early work, when critics doubted her voice—she remembered that failure is not the end of the road, but the beginning of transformation. The world may call her father “unsuccessful,” yet through him she learned that the only true failure is the failure to keep trying.

We might also recall Thomas Edison, who once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” His inventions were born from persistence, not perfection. In this same spirit, Shakira’s father represents the universal struggle of humankind: the yearning to create, to build, to make meaning of one’s life despite the odds. His business ventures may have faltered, but his legacy of courage endures through his daughter’s triumphs. What he could not achieve in commerce, he achieved in character—and that, the ancients would say, is the noblest form of success.

So, my child of the future, take this teaching to heart: honor the failures that shaped you, and the people whose struggles became your strength. Do not measure worth by wealth, nor success by fame. Instead, look to the virtues that endure: perseverance, humility, and love. If you fall, rise again. If you lose, learn. And when you achieve, remember those who carried you here—the fathers and mothers whose imperfect lives became the soil from which you grew. For as Shakira’s words remind us, even an “unsuccessful” life can be a masterpiece of meaning. And in the end, that is the truest success of all.